Improvement in railway-switches



w. n. CLARK & P. CHANEY, 1r;

Railway Switches.

N0. 142,837. Paterited'SeptemberlS,I873.

' Inc/0W2".

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. CLARK AND PHINEAS OHANEY, JR, OF OREGON, ASSIGNORS TO THEMSELVES AND JOHN H. WHITE, OF HALE, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY-SWITCHES.

' Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,837, dated September 16, 1873; application filed- May 8, 1873.

Figure 1 is a plan or top view of a section of track with our improvement applied. Fig..

line as m, Fig. 1.

The invention consists in an arrangement 2 is a transverse section of the same through of devices for switching the track, adapted to be operated by arms or levers controlled by the train men on the moving train, in such manner that the switch can be moved from one line of track to the other as the train ap-' proaches, and returned to its original position after the rear car has passed over the switch, or allowed to remain as switched; also, in certain devices for locking the switch in either position to guard against accidental displacement, all as hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawing, A represents the sleepers; B B B -B the cross-ties; O 0 the stationary rails; (3 the movable rails or switch; D, the shaft which is connected to the cross-tie B D the forked lever secured upon the end of the shaft D; d, a bevel-pinion, which is -secured upon the shaft D, and meshes with a similar pinion, d mounted upon one end of a longitudinal shaft, E. This shaft E is secured in bearings upon the end of the ties B B (shown at d and is provided at its opposite end with a bevel-pinion, d which meshes with a similar bevel-pinion, d mounted upon a transverse shaft, F, said shaft F being secured in bearings 0 upon the cross-tie B and passing under the rails C0 The shaft F has secured upon its end a forked lever, D and also a bevel-gee r, e the bevel-gear e meshing with a pinion, e secured upon another longitudinal shaft, G, said shaft G being secured in be'aringsf upon the ends of ties B B The other end of shaft G is provided with a crankhead, f and wrist-pin, f, Fig. 2, said crankhead and wrist-pin being connected by a slotted pitman, g, Fig. 2, with a metal-tie, H.

The metal tie H is secured to the, movable cured to it a spur, h, Fig. 2, which engages with the side of one of the movable rails, O, and thereby prevents any lateral displacement of the said rails.

The operation of our improved device may be described as follows: The engine and the -rear or caboose car are each provided with suitable bars and levers to be operated by the train men. When it is desired to change the switch it is simply necessary to thrust out a bar from the forward end of the locomotive, the said bar engaging with one arm of the forked lever D thereby carrying down or forward the said lever, and causing the same to rotate the transverse shaft F, which in turn causes the longitudinal shaft G to rotate by means of the bevel-gear c, which meshes with the pinion e mounted upon said shaft G. The rotation of the shaft G causes the crank-head f to rotate, and, as the said crank-head is' connected with the bent lever h by the wristpin f, it causes the metal tie H to move laterally. The said metal tie, being fastened to the movable rails 0 causes them to move in line with the rails upon which the train is moving. After the train has passed over the rails, the lever which is attached to the rear end of the hind car comes in contact with the forked lever shown at D and causes the shaft E to rotate in the reverse direction, thus acting upon the various parts described, and causes the movable rails to be brought back to their former position.

It will be observed that the switch can be moved from either direction at will without stopping the train, or can be run over without being changed at all.

N The gearing, shaft-s, spr1ng,&c., can be covered in order to protect them from snow, dirt, &c.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by list This specification signed and witnessed this ters Patent, is 24th day of March, 1873. i i w The combination, with the switch (J audits WILLIAM H. CLARK. locking-spur h, of the levers D D with their PHINEAS UHANEY, J It.

connecting devices, arranged and. operating as described, whereby, while the switch is Witnesses:

locked 'in either position, it is at the same G. W. FORD,

time placed under the control of the moving CHARLIE S. FORD. train, as set forth. 

